Primer for internal-combustion engines.



H. G. O'NEILL.

PRIMER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 15, I913.

Patented Oct. 10, 1916.

vtweooeo m: mmms PEYERS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY GIBSON ONEILL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR F ONE-HALF 'I'O CONRADHUBERT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PRIMER FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE-S.

Application filed May 15, 1913.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HENRY GIBSON ONEILL, acitizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Manhattan, cityof New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Primers forInternal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification,reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings, forming partthereof.

My invention relates to priming devices for internal combustion engines,and particularly to that class of priming devices which vaporizes thepreliminary charge of fuel utilized in initiating the operation of theengine.

As is well known, difficulties are frequently had in the starting ofinternal combustion engines, due usually to the failure of thecarbureter to produce a rich enough mixture as the engine ispreliminarily turned over by hand or by some automatic device,

and also to the inability to attain an explo sive temperature of thecharge of fuel introduced into the engine, particularlyjvwhen the engineis cold. Various expedients have been heretofore proposed to obviatethese difficulties, such as introducing a priming charge of fuel intothe cylinders of the engine, and it has been proposed to preheatandthereby to some extent vaporize the priming charge to facilitateignition.

An object of my invention is to provide a device of this sort which maybe easily operated and will reliably and quickly heat and vaporize thepriming charge, and which may conveniently be attached or adapted to anyinternal combustion engine either before or after its installation.

Other objects are convenience in the supplying of fuel to the device,simplicity and compactness of the construction and arrangement of theparts, and celerity and convenience in its operation.

Still other objects and advantages of my invention will appear from thefollowing description.

In accordance with my invention I provide a vaporizing device connectedbetween the manifold or other intake passage of the engine and asuitable fuel supply, preferably the main fuel supply line, andpreferably through a .by-pass around the carbureter, this vaporizingdevice including heating means Specification of Eetters Patent.

Patented Oct. 10, 1916.

Serial No. 767,783.

for heating and vaporizing the liquid fuel in the device, and means forcontrolling in common, as by a single actuation, the fuel supply of thevaporizer and the operation of the heating' means.

My invention also comprehends, as a heating means or heat generator, anelectric conductor, such as a resistance coil, and also a body ofabsorbent material for the fuel, such as asbestos wicking, combined withthe heat generator to facilitate and expedite the evaporation of thefuel under the influence of the heat.

My invention also comprehends various other features of construction andarrangement and combinations of parts, as will hereafter more fullyappear.

I shall now describe the embodiment of my invention illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, and shall thereafter point out my invention inclaims.

Figure 1 is a partial elevation and a partial diagram showing myimproved vaporizer applied to a two cylinder internal combustion engine.Fig. 2 is a central vertical elevation, on an enlarged scale, of thevaporlzer.

My invention is particularly adapted for use on automobiles and othermotor vehicles, boats or the like, employing internal combustionengines, though not necessarily limited to such use, and I shallhereafter describe it as so used.

In the illustrated embodiment of my invention, the vaporizer isconnected between the main gasolene or fuel supply pipe 1 and themanifold 2 of the engine, through a bypass or conduit around thecarbureter 3, consisting of an inlet pipe 4, leading from the mainsupply pipe 1 to the vaporizing receptacle 5, and an outlet pipe 6,leading from the vaporizer to the manifold 2 at the juncture of the twobranches. The inlet pipe a is connected to a nipple 7 and communicateswith the inlet opening therethrough, which is disposed some distanceabove the bottom of the receptacle 5, whereby the bottom of thevaporizing chamber below the inlet opening serves as a reservoir inwhich a certan quantity of fuel collects and is retained untilevaporated. The inner end of the inlet opening is made flaring andserves as a valve seat for a normally closed conical valve, as willhereafter appear. The outlet pipe 6 is coupled to a hollow screw plug 8which is screwed into an opening near the top of the receptacle 5, andthe outlet opening is protected by a screen 9 disposed across theopening. It will be noted that, with this arrangement of the vaporizer,fuel is drawn from a single source of supply through both the vaporizerand carbureter when the valve controlling the branch conduit is open,into the manifold of the engine as the engine is turned over, it onlybeing necessary to open the valve to permit the engine to draw fuelthrough both of these passages.

The fuel which is drawn through the va porizer is evaporated by heat,which is turned on at the same tin e that the valve is opened and by thesame operation as will now be described. The controlling valve isincorporated into the structure of the va porizer and is internallyarranged, the seat of the valve being formed about the inlet opening tothe vaporizing chamber. A conical valve head 10 is formed on the innerend of an actuating stem 11 which projects outside of the casing orreceptacle 5 and is guided through a stui'iing box 12 threaded into thecasing in alinement with the inlet opening in the nipple 7. The valvehead 10 is normally held seated in the valve seat at the inner end ofthe inlet opening by the pressure of a coiled spring 13 which surroundsthe stem 11 within the vaporizing chamber and bears at one end againstthe inner end of the stufiing box 12, and at its other end against ahead let on the valve stem just back of the valve head 10. The valve isopened by an outward pull on the valve stem a ainst the tension of thespring 13.

As a heating agent an electrical resistance coil 15 is provided in thevaporizing chamber. This is carried by a removable closure or stopper 16for the vaporizing chamber, which is composed of suitable insulatingmaterial, such as bakelite. The resistance coil 15 is held distended bya plate 17 of insulating material carried by the stopper, which plateextends down nearly to the valve stem 11, and has a perforation near itslower end through which the coil 15 extends. The resistance coil issecured at its two ends to contact screws 18 which extend up through thestopper 16, and the two electrical leads l9 and 20 are secured bybinding screws to the upper projecting ends of the contact screws 18.

The two leads 19 and 20 are insulated and pass down through an opening21 in the stopper 16 and thence downwardly through a longitudinalopening 22 in the wall of the receptacle, the stopper 16 being insertedwith the two openings in alinement. The opening :22 terminates at itslower end in an open slot 23 in the side of the receptacle, over whichis secured an insulating plate 21 carrying two stationary electricalcontacts 25 and 26, the upper and lower ends of the slot 23 being leftuncovered by the plate 24. The lead 19 is brought out above the plate24. and is secured to the stationary contact 25, and a wire 27 issecured to the other contact 26, and extends thence to one pole of thebattery 28 or other source of electrical energy, while the lead 20 isbrought out below the plate 24. and extends to the other pole of thebattery 28.

To connect the two contacts 25 and 26 to gother and thus close theelectric circuit for the resistance coil 15, a movable contact member 29is provided, which is carried onv the inner end of an upwardly andinwardly projecting arm 30 on the outer end of the valve stem 11, andthe movable contact 29 is so arranged that it will make contact with thetwo stationary contacts 25 and 26 as it is moved outwardly, and willnormally be held inwardly out of contact making position by the spring13. The contacts are of any suitable form, such as the well known knifeblade contacts. It is now apparent that the electric circuit is closedand the valve is opened by the outward movement of the valve stem 11.-This may be effected by a cord 31 which leads to any convenient placefor manual control, as to the dash board of the automobile, though it ismanifest that any suitable means of control may be provided.

To facilitate the evaporation of the liquid fuel in the vaporizer,suitable absorbent material, such as asbestos wicking 32, is proyidedabout the coil 15 and extends down into the reservoir portion at thebottom of the vaporizing chamber, and by capillary attraction becomesthoroughly moistened with the liquid fuel. lVhen the electric circuit isclosed and the coil becomes heated, this fuel in the absorbent materialis very quickly evaporated and passes through the outlet pipe 6 andenters the manifold 2,

whence it is drawn into the cylinders of the engine as the inlet valvesare opened and the engine is turned over. This vapor mingles with theair which is at the same time drawn through the carbureter and, beinghot, is readily ignited. It will be noted that the wicking 31 will bekept moist by fuel in the reservoir portion of the vaporizing chamber.Usually it will only be necessary to hold the vaporizer inlet valve openfor a brief starting period of the engine.

The stopper 16 is secured in place by a screw cap 33 which has ashoulder portion clamping down on a shouldered portion of the stopperoverlying the top of the casing 5 of the vaporizer, the screw cap 32having a screw-threaded enlarged lower portion which fits over andengages the screwthreaded top'portion of the casing-5.

It is obvious that various modifications may be made intheconstruction-shown and 1,2o1,oso

above particularly described Within the principle and scope ofmyin'vention.

1. A primer for an internal combustion engine, such primer comprising avaporizing chamber, means for supplying liquid fuel to such chamber, afuel absorbent in the vaporizing chamber a vapor conduit forming anoutlet from the vaporizing chamber and adapted to be connected to theintake passage of the engine, means for heating the contents of thevaporizing chamber, and manually controlled means in common in controlof the heating means and of the fuel supply means.

2. A primer for an internal combustion engine, such primer comprising avaporizing chamber, means for supplying liquid fuel to the vaporizingchamber, a fuel absorbent in the vaporizing chamber a vapor-conveyingoutlet conduit for the vaporizing chamber adapted to be connected to theintake passage of the engine, an electrical heater for the vaporizingchamber, and manually controlled means in common in control of suchheater and the fuel supply means for rendering such heater operativeonly during the time that the fuel is being supplied to the vaporizingchamber.

3. A primer for internal combustion engines comprising a fuel supply, aconduit leading from the fuel supply to an intake passage of the engine,a vaporizing chamber in the conduit, an electrical heating conductor inthe vaporizing chamber, a fuel absorbent body disposed in the chamber inproximity to the conductor, a normally disconnected source of electriccurrent for the conductor, a valve normally closing the conduit, andmeans actuatable to open the valve and to connect the source of currentto the I conductor.

4. A primer for an internal combustion engine, such primer comprising avaporizing chamber, means for supplying liquid fuel to such chamberincluding a fuel supply conduit forming a fuel inlet and a valve incontrol thereof, a vapor-conveying outlet conduit from such chamberadapted to be connected to the intake passage of the engine, electricalheating means within the vaporizing chamber, a fuel absorbent in thevaporizing chamber in proximity tosuch heating means, a circuitcontroller for such heating means, and manually controlled means incommon for concurrently opening the fuel supply valve and closing theelectrio circuit of the heating means or vice versa.

5. A primer for an internal combustion engine, such primer comprisin avaporizing chamber, a fuel inlet con uit for fuel liquid opening intosuch chamber above the bottom thereof for forming a reservoir for fuelliquid in such chamber below such fuel inlet, a fuel absorbent in thechamber and extending both above and below the fuel inlet, a conduitforming a vapor outlet above the fuel inlet and adapted to be connectedto the intake passage of the engine, and means for heating the contentsof the vaporizing chamber.

6. A primer for an internal combustion engine, such primer comprising avaporizing chamber having a movable end [closure of electricallyinsulating material, means for supplying fuel liquid to the vaporizingchamber, a vapor-conveying outlet conduit forsuch chamber adapted to beconnected to the intake passage of the engine, conductive supportingstems passing through the end closure, and a U-shaped electrical heatingcoil mounted at its ends by means of said conductive supporting stemsupon said insulative end closure and projecting at its middle withinthechamber.

7. A primer for internal combustion engines comprising a vaporizingchamber having a fuel inlet adapted to be connected to a source of fuelsupply and having a fuel outlet adapted to be connected to the intakepassage of the engine, an electrical heating device for the vaporizingchamber, a fuel absorbent in the chamber and subjected to the heat ofthe heating device, a valve in control of the fuel supply to thevaporizing chamber, a circuit controller for the heating device adaptedto control current therefor, and means for causing the fuel valve tooperate jointly with the circuit controller so 100 that the valve willbe opened when the heat ing device is supplied with current and so thatthis "alve will be closed when the current supply to the heating deviceis discontinned.

8. A primer for an internal combustion engine, such primer comprising aconductive receptacle part forming the body of a vaporizing chamber, astopper of insulating material removably fitting into the recep- 110tacle part and forming a removable cover therefor, a cap for clampingthe stopper in place on the body, conductive supporting stems passingthrough the stopper in insulated relation to each other, a U-shaped 5electrical heating coil supported at its ends by the conductivestemsupon the stopper, means for supplying fuel liquid to the vaporizingchamber, and a vapor conveying outlet conduit for such chamber adaptedto 120 be connected to the intake passage of the internal combustionengine.

9. A primer for an internal combustion engine, such primer comprising aconductive receptacle part forming the body of a vaporpassing throughthe stopper in insulated 'relation to each other, a U-shaped electricalheating coil supported at its ends by the conductive stems upon thestopper, a fuel absorbent in the body of the vaporizing chamber inproximity to and surrounding the heating coil, means for supplying fuelliquid to the vaporizing chamber, manually controlled means incommon incontrol of lo the fuel supply and "the heating coil, and 'a vaporconveying I outlet conduit for such chamber adapted to be connected tothe intake passage of the internal combustion engame.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of twoWitnesses.v

HENRY'GIBSO'N ONEILL. Witnesses HENRY D. ViLLmMs, VICTORD. B'oRs'r:

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

- Washington, D. G.

